Reader Aaron forwarded us the following email from United announcing that "Premier Executive" frequent fliers would now be able to board before... um, you know. Those other passengers.
Beginning November 12, our Premier Executive members and Star Alliance Gold guests will board before Seating Area 1 customers through the Economy Lane.
The new boarding order will be as follows: Global Services, 1K and customers sitting in United First will continue to board first through the Red Carpet Lane, followed by our United Business customers. Our Premier Executive and Star Alliance Gold members will then be invited to board.
After all of our most-valued guests are on board and getting settled, the regular boarding process of seating areas 1 through 4 will begin.
We strive to consistently reward you, our premium customers, for your loyalty. We hope that as a Premier Executive and Star Alliance Gold customer, you enjoy this added benefit
There's just something a little creepily desperate about this email, don't you think?
At least they haven't yet resorted to fear. The next email will probably read, "After all of our most-valued guests are on board and getting settled, the remaining passengers will proceed to the physical challenge portion of the boarding process, after which a King or Queen of Coach will be crowned and the losing passengers will subject to his or her cruel whims for the remainder of the flight. Also: there will be no snacks."
(Photo: afagen )
]]>@dequeued: Some details are missing in this story. That couldn't have happened the way you described it. Either she volunteered to be bumped (she probably spoke with them before she boarded) or she was on standby and knew she might get bumped.
]]>@frankadelic: LOL, what, she didn't ask them to get up and take a bow, so the rest of the assembled congregation could give them the applause they were due?
I feel sorry for anyone who has to fly 150K miles a year on business. That's not a life.
]]>/cripple power FTW!
]]>I am a United elite status flier and, yes, they treat me well.
If I flew just a few times a year, then it wouldn't matter. But I spend a ton of my time at O'Hare.
As for Southwest? I just don't see the appeal. Jovial flight attendants don't make up for the fact that I can barely reach down to get the laptop out from under my seat.
I hate to break it to everyone, but most world airlines are adding more biz/first class seats and getting rid of economy class seats. See the Air Transport World article this month.
And for the guy who compared it to hotels...I'd say that airlines are operating both the Ritz Carlton and the Holiday Inn Express. They just have to operate both on one property: a Boeing or Airbus plane.
And those of us who get into the Ritz Carlton section of the plane? Generally I'd say we've earned it because we're the airlines' best customers.
LOL! That's good, that's good...
]]>Also it feels good to sit in first class and watch all the other people troop by knowing the 350 lb guy will have the center seat and want to raise the arm rest. Awe the power. I like it when they curtsey as they pass or stop to kiss my ring it makes me feel like someone. Even if I am really just a little guy who was upgraded because my company was to stupid to book early enough to get a discount fare. But man for that 15 minutes of fame sure beats a cops episode.
]]>@s35flyer:
Absolutely nothing at all. Just don't let all those perks go to your head and call everybody else "yokels" like Mr. Kite did (see earlier comments).
]]>@JayDeEm:
You know, I always liked the egalitarian nature of Southwest when I lived near one of their cities, not to mention the fact that they were just all around more professional, pleasant and better run. It's a shame I now live too far away from where they fly. It was so easy to earn free tickets on them, even back in my student days when I didn't travel that much.
]]>@Mr. Kite:
Mr. Kite and godospoons,
Yokels, was that what you called us? Of course you're entitled to your perks while flying, but please, get over yourself. The world doesn't revolve around you and not one of us standing in line at the airport cares if you were the valedictorian of your ivy league law school or business school class or that you're about to do some big deal in London or Tokyo. Oh, and by the way, gate checking works just fine for me - I don't end up paying the $15 fee and I get my luggage within minutes of getting off the plane. My cheap rental car will be right behind your big expensive limosine - please forgive me if I accidentally rear-end it and make you late to your next big meeting. Us "yokels" are such poor drivers sometimes.
]]>@bohemian: But that is the power of money. You will not get treated substandard but you also will not get any perks.
This is the same reason there are "private bankers" versus the rest of us having to skate down before 5pm Friday to chase our checks or deposits... The same reason for platinum rental car slots versus going through the third degree to get a Yaris rented. Another reason for AMEX Centurian Black Card versus the run of the mill AMEX card...
There never is a free lunch but the rich and wealthy get more free lunches than anyone...
]]>@Mr. Kite: Are you one of the ultra lounge dwellers who swifts onboard at the last minute to have the first class seat??? I got to hang with a sales guy from one organization I worked for. We were in the lounge and that was the deal- quiet, free booze and snacks... Of course he had first class upgrade and I was in steerage but aleast I got to hang on his coattails for an outbound and return flight...
]]>As someone who flies three times as much as Mr. Kite does in a year, I agree with him 300%. Though there are some loose rules on airline selection at my company, they also encourage me to try to reach a higher status on these airlines to save money on all kinds of things--baggage charges, early standby fees, waived change fees, waived phone-in reservation fees, exit rows/premium economy seating, class of service upgrades, complementary hotels on flight cancellations and free in-transit lounge access.
Of course, that's just the beginning... there's free drink coupons, priority luggage tags and handling, first meal selection on international flights, restricted check-in lines, duty free catalog discounts, special award seat inventory, waived award ticketing fees, same-day award tickets, priority upgrade clearance and a pantload of bonus miles (sometimes double or more). I could go on and on here, but Mr. Kite is right. Unless you fly at least 50K miles a year on an operator, you're likely a "less valued" customer.
Spend 100+ days a year on the road, much of it international, and you'll see both how important these things are. I mainly fly United, which is at the root of this entry, and I applaud them for continuing to provide excellent customer service to their elite customers. Because, if they stopped, so would I.
]]>Just kidding.
]]>@downwithmonstercable: It is not a ego thing, those of us who have to fly every week don't check our bags so getting on first is the only way we can fit our bags in the overhead.
On a side note, this is no real change, gold and higher members were always given zone 1, no one else would get zone 1. So the only change is people that used to get zone 5 now get zone 4 and so on...
]]>When your going out of your way to treat one group of passengers or customers in an obvious sub-level fashion your going to lose the customers that have enough self respect to not put up with that crap.
Just because a hotel charged the guy in line in front of my $10g for his suite does not mean they should treat me in a sub-standard way for buying a regular room.
]]>Beginning November 12, we will divide our passengers according to how much we rip you off. Business travelers who spend beaucoup bucks for first class and manage to fly over 200,000 miles each year will be called Premier, Executive and Gold and will be treated like golden goose you are and will board separately from the rest of the scum who don't want to give us money. We will give you roomy seats with built in entertainment systems and pretty stewardesses and will have plenty of free booze and gourmet food to make your flight enjoyable.
The other group will be called cheapskates will be crowded all together in a hot cabin with no leg room, no overhead storage, no movies, no food, no water and no alcohol. They will get jerked around by our jaded cabin staff who can't wait to retire next year and who have the power and attitude to force you to behave or be arrested by the closest air marshal. We'll make sure all families with crying children and overly fat cheapskates are spread evenly throughout the cabin to maximize their discomfort. Merely looking at a jaded cabin staff will cause them to rush over and charge you a $10 fee no matter what the issue is.
We strive to consistently reward you, our premium customers, for your loyalty. We hope that as a Premier Executive and Star Alliance Gold customer, you enjoy this added benefit.
]]>@Mr. Kite:
You're cute. Your employer pays for your tickets and yet you consider yourself the customer.
@ILoveVermont: Heh, me too. I put my bag under the seat so overhead room is not important. I'd rather board last and spend less time in the cramped seat.
]]>LOL I don't care about your self-importance. I usually wait until the last minute to board just because I don't give a f*ck. I'm seated on the aisle as close to the front as possible. The plane isn't taking off any faster just because you boarded first.
]]>US carriers don't have any profits. That's why they try to nickle and dime the infrequent traveller while they kiss the ass of the frequent one. I remember reading in the NY Times once where they mentioned how the handful of people who actually pay to sit in first class (and aren't there because of a complimentary upgrade) are responsible for some 38% of airline revenue.
]]>I used to think the same way, but traveling on a bi-weekly basis I stopped caring. I have my luggage (checked) and my carryon (Laptop bag) and that's it. I've yet to lose a bag (knock on formica) in 3 years. Hmm, about 52 flights per year, not one loss.
]]>I can't stand jerks that carry EVERYTHING into the cabin. They're the twits that delay seating and disembarking. I had one nozzle business lady carrying on god knows how much BUT she missed the pre-board announcement that if you're carry-on didn't fit in the little test container, f*ck off.
Wasn't just her though because about 6 or 7 people, most of them business travelers, had the same problem.
]]>I don't know about you guys, but while I don't care about the order I board the plane in (being a business traveler, they book me the cheapest seat anyway, and that often means the back of the plane) but I would pay a premium to be able to get off first.
]]>If you're worried about overhead space: don't bring so much stuff.
]]>What is going on with US carriers that they can't keep up? Is it just that they're handing all of their profits over in CEO benefits or what?
]]>and for your interest, back-to-front is not the most efficient way! See here for actually entertaining simulations of how different boarding algorithms perform:
]]>Although I do love the snotty looks I have occasionally got from the valued customers as I haul my kids, spouse and voluminous carry-on item through their section... bouncing off their seats... clutching at their seat backs... Maybe it would be a service if they were seated after the snotty nosed masses passed through "Valued customer country"?
]]>Actually what about Survivor:luggage
After you are on board you can watch as our Ground based entertainment team loads the aircraft with some of the passenger luggage. Only some will be chosen: did your bag make the cut?
]]>Actually, I don't mind being last to board...it's that much less time I have to sit in a cramped seat with no legroom, jammed in like sardines with the other smelly passengers. What's the rush to get onboard for that?
]]>Agreed. I travel with equipment that I simply cannot put into checked luggage for fear of it being lost/stolen/broken. I would pay extra just to reserve overhead space. Oh S%&t, maybe I shouldn't have said that.
]]>Premier Executive, Star Alliance Gold guests, Seating Area 1 customers, Global Services, 1K, United First, Red Carpet Lane, United Business customers,Premier Executive, Star Alliance Gold members, economy class,cargo class, ad infinitum.
This feels like the car commercials that proclaim
Best in its Class. Every car is a winner because every car is in a class by itself.
It's a very big deal if you care about overhead space. Early boarding is a godsend, considering that now everyone and their brother brings steamer trunks onboard rather than pay the $15 to check them.
]]>Meh...the order you board just seems to feed into someone's ego. As long as you get on the plane before it takes off, I don't see what the big deal is. If someone thinks they have a bigger wang than me because they're a Super Diamond Premier Ultra Member, then they have bigger problems to worry about.
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